Two jailed for possessing narcotic drugs

Two persons were on Friday sentenced to two years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit crime and possession of narcotic drugs without lawful authority.

The two, Ebenezer Tagoe, a mason and Emmanuel Boi Nortey,a Carpenter, were sentenced to one year each for conspiracy and two years each for possession of 23 and a half maxi sacks of dried leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs to run concurrently.

The facts of the case as presented by Chief Superintendent Duuti Tuaruka were that, the complainants were police officers stationed at Amasaman, and that, Ebenezer, 47 lived in a house at Papaase near Kotoku in the Greater Accra region, while Emmanuel, 32 lives at Avenor.

He said on November 6, 2013 at about 0330 hours, the police officers, while on their normal patrol duties, acted upon information that quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp concealed in black polythene bags had been kept in an uncompleted house at Papaase.

He told the court that, when the policemen arrived at the place they met Ebenezer in the house and when a search was conducted in one of the rooms, the bags of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp were found.

The prosecution said they also retrieved one locally made compressor, one scale, a sharp knife and four cello tapes.

Chief Superintendent Tuaruka said the officers interrogated Ebenezer, who denied knowledge of the leaves but mentioned Emmanuel as the one who owns the house and had in his possession the key to the room where the exhibits were kept.

He said Ebenezer led the police to Avenor where Emmanuel was arrested and he also mentioned one Mama from the Volta Region as his source of supply.

The prosecution told the court that Emmanuel also indicated that the 23 and half sacks were the fourth consignment he had received so far and kept in the house.